The Return
by Relish Yuy
Summary: It's back, and only their daughter can change destiny this time.
1. Happenings

The Return  
  
By: Relena Darlian-Yuy  
  
Chapter One  
  
"Caitlyn, Caitlyn," the voice called.  
  
"You'll never take me alive!" she screamed out, her voice showing the doubt in her own abilities.  
  
"Caitlyn. You've fallen asleep in math class and if you don't wake up this instant I am going to fail your next test," the deadly voice uttered in the darkness.  
  
The head of a young woman shot up from her desk, spraying sleek, dark brown hair everywhere, "I'M AWAKE!"  
  
Shouts of laughter spread across the room as the teacher glared at the girl.  
  
"Thank you for that insightful bit of information, Miss Wenon. You may explain to the principal just why you were sleeping in my Algebra class." She turned to the boy sitting next to her, whom was grinning widely, "Steven, Please escort Miss Wenon to the principal's office."  
  
Caitlyn was horrorstruck. She knew that one more problem and she was suspended. "But. I. Mrs. Baker. please. I was." she knew for certain the witch wouldn't take finishing The Return of the King for an answer, and her brain was too exhausted to think up something she would accept, if such a thing existed.  
  
"You were what?" she sneered.  
  
"I was just.. Reading. And fell asleep because I was up all night. It's a really good book." Amused snorts resounded off the walls of the Portland High School classroom.  
  
"Silence!" Every high-school student in the room obeyed. "Get out of my classroom. This is a place of learning, not of sleeping and excuses." She motioned her out the door.  
  
The girl slowly got up from her desk, her head less than a foot from the low ceiling, emphasizing her height over everyone else. She grabbed her things and made her way out the door, dipping her head a bit to make it through as Steven followed in her wake.  
  
Once they were out of view, she quickly readjusted her hair to cover her ears.  
  
"Hiding The Ears again, freak?" the rat asked, not bothering to hide the contempt in his voice.  
  
"Fuck off," she replied simply. Her mind was still wondering just who she had heard. She had been certain that was the teachers.  
  
"Ooh, cussing, expulsion for sure this time. Did you like my little imitation? I can do more like it if you wish."  
  
"You." she growled, her fist clenching.  
  
"Calm down, my toy. You don't want a fight added to that record of yours, now do you?" She could hear a waver in his confidence, but knew he was right. That little rat would do anything to cause her pain.  
  
"Why do you hate me so much?"  
  
"Come now, you can't be serious. Surely you must have seen your own reflection sometime in your pathetic life."  
  
That was it. Her fist connected with his jaw as she lost control. Hearing a crack, she turned and continued her way to the principal's office. She heard him spit blood, increasing her satisfaction.  
  
"Caitlyn..." That voice wasn't his. She spun around to see Mrs. Johnson, a sturdy old lady still teaching solely because of her love for helping teens.  
  
"I saw it all; you had good reason to do what you did."  
  
She breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"However, I cannot overlook district terms. Steven, Caitlyn, please come with me." The plump, aged woman led them off in the direction of the principal's office. She was definitely in for it now. How could she not be? She'd fallen asleep in class, again; disrupted class once she woke up; AND broken Steven's jaw, the jaw of the kid with all the cash.  
  
As she was waiting for the principal to see her, she couldn't stop thinking about what the rat had said earlier. 'Hiding The Ears again, freak?' She knew it was the truth. -The- ears. Perfect name for them; the things were so pointed if God admitted he was drunk when he formed them, anyone who heard would believe it.  
  
She was different, and it wasn't any secret. Her fair features belonged in a royal court, not some public high school. She was undoubtedly adopted, found wandering around the city wrapped in old blankets when she was very young, though she didn't know just how young. No one did, they didn't know her birthday, who her parents were, nothing. Hell, she could have been a thousand years old, and not have known it.  
  
Her mind was snatched back into reality as Steven howled in pain from the nurse trying to immobilize his jaw. 'Baby' she thought to herself. She began to grow impatient. What was taking so long? The answer came as the secretary stepped out of the office, redoing the top two buttons of her blouse, looking slightly flushed. She apologized for the delay, insisting it was urgent, and informed them the principal would see them now.  
  
The three of them stepped inside and sat down, Mrs. Johnson deliberately sitting between Caitlyn and Steven as the nurse continued to attend to the weasel. The principal was still adjusting his tie.  
  
"Miss Wenon, I have already taken the liberty of calling your parents. Mrs. Wenon has asked you to take the bus as far as you can, then walk the rest of the way home. You have been suspended for assault on a fellow student and may not return to this campus for five days."  
  
"Sir, must you be so harsh? She was provoked, I saw the entire scene," Mrs. Johnson defended.  
  
"Provoked or not, she broke his jaw, and this is the third time I've seen her just this week. These offenses cannot go overlooked. These are the rules of the district; it is out of my control."  
  
'Well, at least I get away from Asshole here for a while,' she mused. She made her way out to the bus stop at the Head Haunch's signal.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
She began to finger the necklace that hung round her neck while she was waiting for the bus to arrive, later than usual. When she was found so many years ago, this necklace was the only thing that could be a key to her past. Everyone had assumed it was given to her by her parents, and decided it would be cruel to take if from the child.  
  
Scrutinizing it, she memorized once more exactly what it looked like. As far as she could tell it was a diamond star, outlined in gold, but much to light to be so. It seemed strangely like the Evenstar that Arwen gave to Aragorn in Tolkein's book. Carefully examining it, she noticed something she hadn't in all the years she'd worn it: "Aragorn + Arwen" was etched into the gold outline. It was very faint, but definitely there.  
  
The voice of a young man yanked her out of her thoughts, "That's a pretty little thing."  
  
"Oh, thank you," she smiled, looking up to see a well-dressed man. His soft face told her he couldn't have been twenty-five years old.  
  
"May I ask where you got it?" He questioned in his silky voice.  
  
"It's an heirloom, sort of. I was found with it when I was very young. The nuns at the agency decided it was from my parents, so they let me keep it."  
  
"That was nice of them. Oh, by the way, my name's Joshua. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of hearing yours," he said, looking her directly in the eyes as he offered her his hand to shake.  
  
Something she saw in those eyes seemed totally contrary to his polite demeanor. Hesitantly, she took his outstretched hand. "I'm Caitlyn, Nice to meet you, Joshua," she said, forcing herself to be polite.  
  
Josh stood up as the bus came into view, offering to help her up. She shakily took his hand, only physically accepting his offer, and climbed into the bus.  
  
The young one looked at her surroundings. There were very few people on this ride, as usual. The route went straight to the forest on the city limits, no stops on the way. Josh sat with the only other two on the bus, speaking with them in hushed voices. They kept glancing in her direction, but she took no notice of it; stares were part of her daily routine.  
  
As the bus rode on, she caught a few words of their conversation; her name, more than once. They were talking about her in whispers! 'I know I'm strange, but how could I possibly be that interesting? Could they want something from me?' she thought to herself, her mind wandering to her little brother Michael, probably asleep right now. He seemed so innocent in her mind, too young to be aware of anything but the bliss of infant ignorance. Whatever these guys were planning, she would have to make it home for him, no matter what.  
  
The bus came to a screeching halt at the edge of a forest, a mile outside the main city. This place was too wooded for any suburbs to really succeed.  
  
She gingerly stepped off the bus and onto the dirt road she would take for the next three miles. Josh and the other two followed, much too closely for her comfort. She gripped her necklace with one hand, praying to whoever was listening for strength, or, if she ended up needing it, a savior.  
  
Her pace quickened, and so did theirs. There was no questioning now that they were following her. She waited until the bus drove out of view. No one else need be involved in this; she could handle whatever they wanted on her own.  
  
When she couldn't hear the low rumble any longer, she dropped her grip on the crystalline pendant and turned to face them. Though shaking inside, she said in a steady voice, "I know you're following me."  
  
Josh spoke up, "An astute observation, beautiful. Now lets see if you can guess just why." His handsome face was now mauled by a lust for that which was not his to take.  
  
Seeing his desire, she knew. Her sure expression fell to paled fear. "If that's what you want, you'll have to fight to get it," she muttered before ditching her backpack and running, glad for the first time in her life she was so tall.  
  
Her thoughts races to Michael, at home asleep in his crib. She definitely couldn't go there, what if they hurt him? or her mother? No, she wouldn't allow it. 'I can only run, now. If anyone can hear me, send me a savior' she prayed, her hand once again wrapping itself around the pendant.  
  
Her keen eyes caught sight of a branch she might be able to reach. As she neared it, she gave an extra burst of speed and jumped, but tripped over her clumsy feet, so that her fingers grazed the bottom of the bough. She landed hard, letting out a cry of pain as her ankle seemed to crumble underneath her. She stood back up, her legs screaming in protest as the tree aggressors drew ever closer. The seductive grins plastered on their lips and darkening their eyes shot ice cold fear through her veins, numbing her to the pain in her ankle. She leapt once more for the branch, this time grabbing hold of it. She swung her legs to wrap around it, but her ankle refused to stay, and fell back down to have a painful grip around it.  
  
More hands joined the first and tore her from safety, shredding the skin on her bare arms as they were ripped from the bark. They didn't catch her or try to slow her fall in any way; to them, the faster she was subdued, the better. She screamed in pain as they slammed her into the ground. One of them wrenched her bleeding wrists above her head while the others brutally stripped her of their last barrier, throwing the useless garments aside.  
  
A vision blurred by saline tears came so close she could feel his quickened breaths upon her lips. The voice she heard not inches from her face told her Joshua was the one suffocating her broken body, "I have defeated your challenge, beautiful. You are now mine." Before she could respond, his mouth locked onto hers, sucking the air from her lungs as her took her for all she had. Now, salt from her tears was emphasized as salt from her blood washed over her tongue. There was nothing she could do now, he had won. His hands played across every part of her body he did not have to move to find, bruising wherever they reached.  
  
But the second his hands reached her necklace, it all stopped. She felt the weight lifted from her abruptly, the grip on her hands released. She could hear fighting, but it sounded as though it was miles away. She looked around herself and saw four hazy images, three not moving, one nearing her. "Please, leave me alone. I'll do anything, just please go away," She begged through her sobs at the towering figure.  
  
As her eyes dried, she could see he was wearing a robe, and holding a cloak in from of him with closed eyes. He dropped the clothing on her and turned away as she curled up in it. "I will not harm you, and never would. They will never touch you again; I have made sure of it."  
  
She managed to force out "Thank you.." before slipping from consciousness.  
  
He cradled her shattered form safely in his arms and strode off into the wood, whispering to himself, "For you, my Princess, I would do anything." 


	2. Missing, Presumed dead

Chapter Two Missing, Presumed Dead  
  
She could feel that she was in a warm bed. Grasping the sheets, she kept her eyes sealed and spoke, "A dream. All of it was nothing but a dream."  
  
"I wish it had been, My Lady, but I'm afraid it was very real," an infuriated voice growled off to her side.  
  
She tried to raise herself to see who he was, but pain suddenly shot through her veins, pressing her back down.  
  
"Please do not try to get up, it may swell your wounds," he warned.  
  
"Why are you helping me? And who were they?" she quizzed, dismissing his advice and straining her neck to see who owned this musical voice.  
  
"Is this how you always treat those who assist you?" he replied, reaching out to tilt her head back to the side.  
  
"Sorry, but I've never seen anyone that helped another without wanting something in return. That only happens in fantasy."  
  
"That fantasy had inspiration. Right now, My Lady, I wish only for you to heal."  
  
"And after that?" she shifted her head once more.  
  
"We'll discuss that when it comes. Please get some rest; you have been injured greatly. You need to recover. After all this, I don't think you want to get sick," he said, leaning over her to stop her craning neck.  
  
His hair swishing across her cheek startled her, but soon she caught sight of something more relevant. 'His ears! They look like mine!'  
  
".You're like me." she sputtered.  
  
His eyes grazed her own, concern flooding her thoughts. "Yes, but please get some sleep now, Caitlyn." His lips pressed against her forehead. "I will explain everything when you are well."  
  
He rose, glided to the doorway and had his finger rested on the light switch when she spoke, "Everything?"  
  
"Every question you've ever had." The room darkened and the door closed just before she slipped from consciousness.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
She didn't have to open her eyes to know she was awake; the burning in her arms screamed that. She felt someone was looking at her and lifted herself to see him. "Welcome back to the Land of the Living, Princess," the unnamed voice said."  
  
"How long have I been out?"  
  
"A week, off and on"  
  
She shot up. "A week?! My mom-"  
  
"You need to eat," he cut in.  
  
"I need to call my mom first."  
  
"You can call her after you eat. Ten more minutes won't change her worry." With that, he turned and left the room.  
  
It was now that she realized she was still in the cloak he had covered her with when. A tear slid its way down her cheek, soon followed by another, as memories of the pain and fear flooded her heart. She buried her face in the sheets. But the moment she closed her eyes, images of what had happened ripped through her mind, her into a storm.  
  
She felt his arms around her, protecting her. She could hear him saying something, but her sobs muffled every word. Yet somehow, calm surrounded her at the sound of his voice.  
  
"I owe you my life," she whispered after silencing herself some. "What can I do to repay you? I'll do anything."  
  
"You shouldn't throw those words around so much. They will get you into trouble quickly. As for what I want: just for you to listen." He said, still cradling her soul. "But first, you need to eat something." He released her and allowing her to lean against the backboard of the bed.  
  
He handed her a bowl of a goldish-green colored soup that she hadn't noticed him bring in. Its bittersweet scent wafting through the air. "Mm, smells good. What is it? Oh, and I still haven't gotten your name." she said, swirling the fresh soup around with her spoon.  
  
"My name is Logenaies Greenleaf, but people generally just turn it into Logan. The soup--"  
  
"Wait a sec. Greenleaf? As in Legolas Greenleaf, the cute elf-guy from Lord of the Rings?"  
  
"He is my father."  
  
Her spoon slipped into the soup. "But.. How? It's just a book. Make- believe.."  
  
"Is it? Think a moment. That necklace you wear. Your ears. Your height. Everything about you that is different."  
  
"Are you saying.. that I'm.. and elf?"  
  
"Not quite. Half-elf, and a princess"  
  
"A what?" She furrowed her eyebrows in complete disbelief.  
  
"You are the daughter of Aragorn and Arwen. By blood, you are the ruler of men and of elves. The only race that doesn't owe you their allegiance is the dwarves."  
  
"Uh huh. Thank you for saving me n'all, but frankly, you're nuts."  
  
"You don't believe me?"  
  
"Would you mind giving me a very good reason to?"  
  
"First of all, that soup is a broth made from the leaves of a tree in what once was Lothlorein. Secondly," he paused, "I can take you there."  
  
She set the spoon in the empty bowl and thought a moment. 'If this guy's right, then I find my family. But what if he's luring me into a trap?'  
  
"I need to call my mom. I'm not going anywhere before I tell her.. what happened.."  
  
He nodded, grabbed the bowl and left the room. She slipped out of the bed with one hand on the rail, hugging the cloak close to her with the other. Looking down, she saw that her ankle was bandaged cleanly, and her arms, though still sore, were likewise. He had healed her.  
  
Using the wall for support, she ambled towards the door. Stepping into the front room, she saw it to be no different that anyone else's.  
  
The television had her picture off in one corner. "And the search continues for Caitlyn Wenon, 16-year-old high school student gone missing one week ago. Considering the time and no ransom call, authorities assume her dead. Three bodies were found at the place she supposedly disappeared, but we still have no evidence as to what role they play in this case. They are presumed to be innocent bystanders." Pictures of the three flashed across the screen, causing her to close her eyes with a quivering breath, levying tears that threatened to show themselves. "If you have any information, please contact the designated hot--" The woman was cut short as the TV zapped off.  
  
"Innocent?" she asked, shaking as she opened her eyes.  
  
Logan said nothing as he walked to her from the TV, carrying her to a stool by the bar counter. He handed her a phone.  
  
Seven beeps resounded off the walls, then she rose the receiver to her ear. A sandpapery male voice greeted her, "Hello?"  
  
"What branch of shitty-ass cops have you got working on this case? Innocent?! I'll tell you right now they sure as hell aren't innocent." Logan blinked at her language, but said nothing. She had a right to be pissed.  
  
"Young lady, I don't know how you got this number, but I can assure you that we are doing everything we can to--"  
  
"Let me talk to my mother."  
  
"What? Who is this?"  
  
"I got this number because I live there. Now let me talk to my mom!"  
  
She heard the phone being passed around, and then her mother's anxious voice, "Hello?"  
  
"Mom? It's me, Caitlyn."  
  
"Caitlyn! Honey, are you okay? What do they want? Tell them they can have anything."  
  
"No, Mom, they don't want anything. Nobody's even holding me captive."  
  
"You ran? Honey, I know you got suspended, but it's okay. I'm not mad."  
  
"No, I didn't run. I was walking straight home, when they.. they.." There was no possible way she could say that. It may have been a week for everyone else, but it was less than a day ago to her.  
  
Logan took the phone and held her close as visions ravaged her mind. He put the receiver to his ear to hear the girl's mother, "They who? And what? Caitlyn?"  
  
"They tried to rape her."  
  
For a few minutes, the only sound was that of Caitlyn's weeping.  
  
"Who is this?"  
  
"My name is Logan. I'm--" Caitlyn took the phone back, though tears still trickled down her cheeks.  
  
"He's the one that saved me," she said, her voice shaking. "He brought me to wherever this is and took care of me while. I owe him my life."  
  
She heard movement on the other side." Hold on a moment, Honey, the police say someone's coming." A clunk told her the phone had been set down.  
  
But then she heard more.  
  
Gunshots.  
  
Screams.  
  
Silence.  
  
"Mom? MOM!!"  
  
"You will never see your family again, Princess." Click.  
  
The phone fell clattering to the floor. 


	3. Findings

Chapter Three  
  
She sat there, unmoving as her world crumbled around her. "They're... Mom. Michael. They're."  
  
"Alive." Logan cut in.  
  
"But. he said."  
  
"Forget what he said." He reached over to the phone's cradle, and pressed the button labeled "intercom," flicking a red light off. "They're alive."  
  
"How would you know? Who are they?!" she said, raising her voice in her distress.  
  
"They're a very powerful anarchist organization. They've appropriately named themselves 'The One Ring.' They will not kill them - yet.  
  
"How would you know?" she pressed.  
  
He paused, his relaxed features tensing a moment, then spoke, "I can't tell you that."  
  
Her narrowing eyes peered at him intensely, "Why not?"  
  
"Your safety is my top priority, Princess. Telling you that could put you in danger, and that I will not risk."  
  
"Why?" she snapped urgently.  
  
"What?" he said, blinking in disbelief.  
  
"Why should you care so much? Why am I so damn important? So what if I'm some princess of a land that nobody believes ever existed? It really does not make a difference."  
  
"You're right."  
  
Their expressions switched, hers now showing disbelief, "What?"  
  
"It really doesn't matter that you're the Princess," he said calmly. "What does matter is that you are the sole child of Aragorn and Arwen. You are the only one with those two bloodlines in you."  
  
"So I'm a half-elf. What of it?"  
  
"You're not just half elf. You are half Numenorean, the greatest human bloodline to ever walk the earth."  
  
'Well that explains a few things,' she thought to herself, still wondering at how she had broken that Rat's jaw with just one blow.  
  
"By blood, you are the only one strong enough to control the will of the Ring of Power."  
  
She looked up at him with wide eyes, "The... The Ring? But it was destroyed, right? That's what the books say, that it was completely destroyed."  
  
He nodded, "Yes, the golden ring that held the power was destroyed. However, that ring was merely a form where the power would be gathered. When that little golden band was destroyed in the fires at Mount Doom, the Power of Sauron was disbursed, but it still exists."  
  
"If that's true, why aren't we all under some dictator?"  
  
"Because that's not how its power works. It must have one solid form to control; a form that can control others as well. The ring was a thing of beauty, and if anyone wanted to control its power, all he had to do was wear it. Through this, the Ring was powerful. But then the Ring was destroyed. It needed a new form. And it did take one."  
  
"Back to the dictator question. Shouldn't it have taken control of someone by now?"  
  
He shook his head, "It did try, but you were too strong."  
  
Her eyes bulged in sudden shock, "Me? I have it? How... how is that possible?"  
  
An amused smile played across his lips, "That necklace you wear." She narrowed her eyes in confusion. "When the Power was disbursed, it wandered for a while before finding a suitable home. At that time, you father, Aragorn, was King. That necklace would have been the perfect opportunity for the Power to control him, had he not sensed it. At the grey wizard's advice, he placed the chain around your neck. You are the new ring bearer."  
  
She brought her hand up to grasp the previously useless pendant. "I... have the ring... I have the ring. I have the ring?" She looked up at him, blinking in disbelief.  
  
"Yes. You do, in fact, have the Ring."  
  
"This is. new." It was obviously going to take a while for this to settle in. She looked up to see him shaking his head.  
  
"No, it actually isn't new. You've used its power before now, and I can see in your eyes you had some inkling that it isn't any ordinary necklace."  
  
"When have I used its power?"  
  
"Very recently. It helped you to keep your freedom, and virginity. I heard your call for help, and ran to it. Once one of them touched the pendant, I assume he was trying to take it, I felt exactly where it was, very close by."  
  
She looked up at him from her perch in his arms, enthralled by his story, "So you followed it, and saved me?"  
  
"Not exactly," he said, reaching one hand up to point at something. Following his direction, she turned to see a bow, one that seemed to be made of a slicker wood than she had ever encountered. She knew at once it was a deadeye, Elven bow.  
  
"You shot them." she said, turning back to him when he dropped his hand.  
  
"Yes," he nodded. "The Power guided my arrow straight to his throat. That threw him off you, and not an instant too soon. Any longer would have been too late."  
  
Her gaze lost his, finding the floor instead. She blinked, a moment for dark to encompass her, and visions to rapture he thoughts. Her eyes squeezed shut as she suffered their hands touching her again, pain their sole use. A tear slid down her cheek, soon followed by a cry as she felt his lips pressed against hers again. But then. she realized her lips weren't being crushed. In fact, it was quite nice. Opening her eyes, she saw Logan, intimately close. In fact, those were his lips softly touching hers, not any vivid memory.  
  
She wrenched back from him, her wide eyes belying her shock, "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She grabbed hold of the counter to lessen the stress on her healing ankle.  
  
Looking at her sidelong, he replied, "Kissing you."  
  
"No shit, Sherlock. Now, would you mind explaining why you were kissing me?"  
  
His face relaxed, staring into her eyes as though he was lost in some other galaxy. "Because. I love you."  
  
If her eyes were wide before, there was no competition between their current state and that which they had previously worn. "You. You what?" Her legs betrayed her, forcing her to sit down. "You've known me for oh. going on two hours. Most people take a long time to actually fall in love."  
  
"No. You've known me for about two hours. I've known you for several months."  
  
"What? How is that even possible? I've never even spoken to you before now." He nodded, keeping his eyes on hers, wordlessly answering her question. "How long have you been stalking me?" she said, a bit of fear seeping into her.  
  
To her great surprise, Logan began to chuckle, as though there were something funny in all of this. "I wouldn't call it stalking."  
  
"Well then what would you call it? The last time I checked, stalking encompassed following someone around without their permission. Isn't that what you were doing?"  
  
"Well if you put it that way, then yes. But I had good reason to protect you in that manner."  
  
She narrowed her eyes, "Protect me from what?"  
  
"The One Ring. They didn't just take on a sudden interest in that necklace; they've wanted it for quite some time. And were it not for a combination of that necklace's will to protect you, and my bow, they would have gotten it by now."  
  
"That makes no sense. Why would the Power want to protect me? I thought all it wanted was destruction."  
  
"That's not entirely true. The Ring desired power. It obeyed you because you are the ruler of two races. Because you are both strong-willed and pure hearted, the ring now desires to protect those two qualities, and who it considers to be the maser of such qualities - you." 


End file.
